Gadgets

The latest tech to prevent bike thefts, 3D scan yourself, skate effortlessly, document your travels, replace flame with plasma and make the most of your vinyl.

Fortified Invincible

From $499

If you saw the words ‘unbreakable ruler’ as a personal challenge in your schooldays, you’ll love the Invincible bike. It’s designed to be just that, thanks to its puncture-resistant tyres, rust-proof aluminium frame and zinc-coated, corrosion-resistant chain, security bolts and strong lock. It’s so secure that it’s insured against all theft forever. If your Invincible is stolen, or any of its components are pinched, replacements will be shipped out to you within 24 hours. At $499 for a single-speed, $799 for an eight-speed, it’s not the cheapest bike that money can buy but as a theft-proof bike for life it’s very good value.

XYZprinting Handheld 3D Scanner

£149

This incredible little device from XYZ printing brings 3D scanning into your home or office at a price that’s affordable. It’s the perfect companion to a 3D printer. Powered by Intel RealSense, it’s easy to use: simply move it around the object you’re scanning, freehand. Its ‘object mode’ captures a faithful 3D scan of anything up to 30x60x60cm, while its ‘head mode’ (40x40x25cm) is designed specifically to take a 3D head-and-shoulders selfie. Just one question remains: could this be the future of Xeroxing your backside at the office Christmas party? We really hope not.

Technics SL-1200GAE

£2,799

This 50th anniversary limited edition of the iconic turntable, so popular with DJs and bedroom DJs alike, redesigns the SL-1200 Series direct-drive to ensure the very best hi-fi sound. For example, a newly developed motor without an iron core does away with the age-old problem of ‘cogging’ - sound quality bring degraded by tiny vibrations of the motor and rotational speed fluctuations. Other refinements further reduce vibration problems and maximise rotary control, all the better to reproduce the warm sound and subtle nuances of musical expression engraved in the analogue record grooves. A great buy if you want to get swept away by 2016’s vinyl resurgence in style.

Suunto Kailash

£785

This Finnish-made watch is tailor-made for globetrotters. It boasts all the tricks you would hope for from a tech timepiece: GPS location, altitude, barometer, compass, flashlight. It also has smart watch functions, including smartphone pairing so you can get notifications of calls, texts and more on your wrist. But its most unusual feature is its bespoke adventure logbook. Press the 7R button (named after the gene that’s thought to relate to wanderlust) and it displays a summary of your adventures, such as how many countries or cities you’ve visited, how far you’ve travelled or distance to home. The perfect (bragging) travel companion.

Acton RocketSkates

£700

These smart electric skates seem impossible, but so did Segways till we saw them for ourselves. The skates strap on over your shoes and propel you at up to 12mph. The lead skate is (Android and iOS) app controlled, so you can select from three different speeds - beginner, normal and pro - via your smartphone. You then make subtle adjustments to their speed by moving your heel up and down. You can go up to 10 miles on a single charge of its lithium ion battery but then you’ll need to recharge it for 2.5 hours.

Elementium Plazmatic X Dual Beam Lighter

$59.95

Do you need a lighter? Maybe, maybe not. Do you need an electric lighter that uses plasma instead of a flame? Of course you do! Its twin plasma beams are ridiculously hot (370°C) and will light virtually anything, from cigars to candles. The Plazmatic X Dual Beam Lighter’s sparks are powered by a lithium ion rechargeable battery that boasts a surprisingly long life: you’ll get between 50 and 100 lights out of a single charge. It’s recharged via USB. And because it’s windproof, flameless and water-resistant it works in all weathers.